Trail Cam: 3 Acres, 2 Shooter Bucks!
Hey Mike: I'm 17 years old and I eat, sleep, and breath deer hunting. The archery season is going to be here before we know it. But this archery season is definitely going to be different from all the others. I have a friend that has a 3-acre wooded lot behind his house near mine. Just recently I convinced him to let us hunt it this year. About a week ago I set up my trail camera to see if there were any decent bucks in the area and I was astonished with what I saw. I attached a picture (August 25) of 2 nice bucks that have been wandering past my camera, one is a monster 13-pointer; I am not an expert but I would say he scores in the 160s. The other buck is a nice 11-pointer that probably scores in the 140s. I'm not sure on the scores so I was wondering if you could look at the pictures and tell what you think. Thanks, Nick
My comments:
- How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need a lot of land to hunt a big buck. You might feel uncomfortable hunting 3 acres, but you might kill a big deer there.
- But bowhunting 3 acres is tough: These bucks will spend a lot of time (most of the time) off the tiny property, so being in a stand there when the deer are there will be a crapshoot. Still, the bucks will pass through sometime, so Nick has a shot.
- Gotta strive for the BEST bowshot in this situation; even if you double-lung one of them he might run off the 3 acres and die--tough dilemma. Pick your shot well.
- These bucks are the best of buddies; if Nick sees one in bow season he will see the other. Nick, I know you want to kill the 13-pointer, but shoot the other one if he comes in first and gives you the best shot--great deer for a teenage bowhunter.
- The big buck is 150-class (he won't look quite as big when he sheds, but still heck of a deer).
- Makes me feel good that a 17-year-old is so "eat up" with it like most of us were at that age. Good luck Nick, send us another pic if you get one on the ground.
That's gonna be tough on 3 acres. If you're ate up with it, ya got a shot. I guess it will be easy to burn that spot out in a hurry. I would think staying out until surrounding pressure causes them to "hole up" there. Might be a good spot to catch them when gun season is going on. Good luck, Nick!
out without the neighbors getting bent because someone is hunting behind the houses....(and that doesn't even get into hunting the deer).
But as you see, there are big deer behind these houses.
Best of luck to you (and like Mike said) if you get one chance @ either of these deer, take it.
In my experience, stands this close to houses and hustle and bustle burn out a lot less quickly, than does the big woods stand that doesn't see any traffic until the season rolls around. Three acres behind the house? I have to believe those deer are used to what goes on there, and use it strictly as a travel corridor...
Tougher to burn that stand out, than a food plot you hunt too many times or a stand near a bedding area...
In the end you have to judge how the deer react to your presence there, but in my head...those deer are less likely to react negatively to you being there than others...just set that stand so you don't make a rukus going in or out and they will prolly be less aware of you there than in the big woods...
key in small pieces like this. Not only from the deer hunting perspective but also from trying to tip the adjoining landowners off
(some which may not care for hunting) and thus keeping your newfound hotspot available to you and a bit of a secret from others.
I would like to hear what the other neighbors are like. Pro-hunting? Maybe they're totally open to hunting the property. Maybe they wouldn't mind if a buck tipped over next to the playset. But, if they're pro-hunting, would they try to hunt as well? Lot's to think about that has nothing to do with hunting those big boys.